Rig Veda 3.46.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 46, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.46
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
महाँ असि महिष वृष्ण्येभिर्धनस्पृदुग्र सहमानो अन्यान् । एको विश्वस्य भुवनस्य राजा स योधया च क्षयया च जनान् ॥
mahā́m̐ asi mahiṣa vṛ́ṣṇyebhir dhana-spṛ́d ugra sáhamāno anyā́n | éko víśvasya bhúvanasya rājā́ sá yódhayā ca kṣáyayā ca jánān ||
Groß bist du, o Mächtiger, durch deine Manneskraft — gewaltig, Reichtum gewinnend, die andern bezwingend. Du allein bist König alles Werdens; du vermagst die Menschen zum Kampf zu treiben und sie auch in sicherer Wohnstatt zu gründen.
Word by Word
- महान्
- greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole अख्यात (सम्बन्ध/अस्तित्व)Root अस् (धातु)
- महिष
- O mighty one / O bullNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्ण्येभिः
- with manly powers / with strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रायः), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot वृष्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वृष्णि’/‘वृष्ण्य’ = वीर्य/बल)
- धनस्पृत्
- winning/attaining wealthAdjective (kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य)Root धन- + स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृत् (कृदन्त, ‘स्पृश्’ से)
- उग्र
- fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहमानः
- overpowering / prevailingParticiple (present middle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root सह् (धातु) → सहमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अन्यान्
- others (rivals)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- एकः
- alone / oneNumeral/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of allAdjective (genitive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भुवनस्य इत्यस्य विशेषण), षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनस्य
- of the world / of existenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; √भू)
- राजा
- kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समासार्थे ‘एकः … राजा’)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अनुवाद/अनुसंधान)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- योधयात्
- should cause to fight / should battleVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole अख्यात (क्रिया)Root युध् (धातु) → योधय (णिच्-प्रयोग, causative)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- क्षययात्
- should cause to dwell/settle; should make to abideVerbविधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole अख्यात (क्रिया)Root क्षि (धातु ‘क्षय’/‘क्षि’ = क्षय/निवास/क्षपण) → क्षयय (णिच्-प्रयोग, causative)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- जनान्
- people / tribesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): महान् असि | महिष | वृष्ण्येभिः धनस्पृत् उग्रः सहमानः अन्यान् | एकः विश्वस्य भुवनस्य राजा | सः योधयात् च क्षययात् च जनान् । विशेष: ‘धनस्पृदु॑ग्र॒’ इत्यत्र संहितायां धनस्पृत् + उग्रः → धनस्पृदुग्रः (त्/द्-सन्धि) । ‘राजा॒ स’ = राजा + सः (विसर्ग-लोपः संहितायाम्) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is declared great and mighty with manly powers, fierce, wealth-winning, overpowering others; the sole king of all existence, who can drive people to battle and also settle them in secure dwelling.
Inner meaning
Indra as the inner sovereign governs both phases of transformation: the battle (yodhayā) against resistance and the establishment (kṣayayā) of a stable, harmonious state. The mantra recognizes that spiritual life alternates between decisive conflict with obscurity and the calm founding of a new order in the being. ‘Dhanaspṛt’ (wealth-winner) becomes the gatherer of inner riches—light, strength, joy—won from the contested field of nature.
Universal truth
Real mastery includes both the power to confront and the power to consolidate: to fight when necessary and to build peace afterward.
Themes
Kingship of Indra, Victory and settlement, Overcoming hostile forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.46.1, Rig Veda 3.46.3
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra’s hymns often pair conquest with establishment—victory leading to a founded wideness and order.
Significance
The seer frames Indra as the integrative ruler of becoming: not only a slayer of darkness but a founder of a secure inner kingdom.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- mahān, mahiṣa, ugra, dhanaspṛt, viśvasya rājā
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (order/law), Mitra (harmony), Agni (will)
Cosmic role
Universal king of the luminous powers who directs the evolutionary struggle and then establishes harmony and prosperity.
Inner power
Governance of energies—mobilizing force for conflict and then stabilizing the victory into peace and right living.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory and protection; also for prosperity and settlement after conflict.
म॒हाँ अ॑सि महिष॒ वृष्ण्ये॑भिर्धन॒स्पृदु॑ग्र॒ सह॑मानो अ॒न्यान् । एको॒ विश्व॑स्य॒ भुव॑नस्य॒ राजा॒ स यो॒धया॑ च क्ष॒यया॑ च॒ जना॑न् ॥
म॒हान् । अ॒सि॒ । म॒हि॒ष॒ । वृष्ण्ये॑भिः । ध॒न॒ऽस्पृत् । उ॒ग्र॒ । सह॑मानः । अ॒न्यान् । एकः॑ । विश्व॑स्य । भुव॑नस्य । राजा॑ । सः । यो॒धया॑ । च॒ । क्ष॒यया॑ । च॒ । जना॑न् ॥
mahān | asi | mahiṣa | vṛṣṇyebhiḥ | dhana-spṛt | ugra | sahamānaḥ | anyān | ekaḥ | viśvasya | bhuvanasya | rājā | saḥ | yodhayā | ca | kṣayayā | ca | janān
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4 × ~11 syllables; balanced oppositions (battle vs dwelling) suit triṣṭubh’s argumentative clarity.
Commanding and judicial; strong mid-line turns emphasize ‘battle’ and ‘settle’.
Produces confidence in leadership and regulation of life-forces; steadies the will after an energizing surge.
- महान् (mahān)
- Literal: great. Symbolic: vastness of consciousness and capacity
- महिष (mahiṣa)
- Literal: mighty one, buffalo/bull. Symbolic: massive strength of will and mind-force
- वृष्ण्येभिः (vṛṣṇyebhiḥ)
- Literal: with manly powers. Symbolic: effective energies of action under illumination
- धनस्पृत् (dhanaspṛt)
- Literal: winner of riches. Symbolic: one who wins inner wealth from the field of struggle
- सहमानः (sahamānaḥ)
- Literal: overpowering, enduring. Symbolic: patient dominance over lower impulses and hostile suggestions
- एको ... राजा (eko ... rājā)
- Literal: alone king. Symbolic: the central governing light in the psyche—unifying leadership
- भुवनस्य (bhuvanasya)
- Literal: of becoming/world. Symbolic: all states of experience and formation in consciousness
- योधया (yodhayā)
- Literal: make fight, drive to battle. Symbolic: activate the needed struggle for purification and breakthrough
- क्षयया (kṣayayā)
- Literal: settle, cause to dwell. Symbolic: establish stable peace, right habitation in the truth-state
Soma hymn: request for victory (battle) and stable establishment (kṣaya) under Indra’s rule
In rites seeking both success in contest and secure prosperity; symbolically after ‘victory’ portions of a rite to seal gains.
Praise with offerings; intention: conquer adversities and establish well-being (kṣema).
Chant when needing both courage to confront a problem and discipline to create stable routines afterward.
mahiṣá- ‘mighty’ (often ‘buffalo’ as strength-symbol); vṛ́ṣṇya- ‘manly power’ from vṛṣ-; dhana-spṛ́t ‘wealth-touching/winning’ (dhaná ‘riches’ + √spṛś ‘touch’); sahamāna- from √sah ‘overpower’; yodhayā caus. √yudh; kṣayayā caus. √kṣi ‘dwell’. The paired causatives yodhayā/kṣayayā express Indra’s dual governance: mobilization and settlement.
Single sovereignty over becoming (eka rājā), Dynamic tapas (battle) and stable order (dwelling), Rayi/dhana as plenitude of being
Indra as king governs becoming according to right order—directing conflict only to restore harmony.
Settlement (kṣaya) symbolizes abiding in truth rather than temporary excitement.
From conflict to formation: the cosmos advances by struggle and then consolidation into stable worlds.
Yoga of transformation (inner battle + establishment), aligned with Aurobindo’s ‘conquest and integration’.
Battle = inner tapas against resistance; dwelling = stabilized consciousness-state, a ‘home’ in truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as sole king who both wages the battle and establishes the realm. The mythic pattern is ‘conquest → settlement’: the divine force first drives the struggle against obstruction (yodhayā), then founds a stable habitation of consciousness (kṣayayā).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājā ‘king’ continues the IE kingship root *h₃reǵ- (cf. rex). The causative formations (yodhayā, kṣayayā) display Indo-Aryan morphological productivity, while the underlying verbs √yudh and √kṣi correspond to inherited action domains: combat and dwelling/settlement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer asks for a complete inner governance: not only ecstatic victory but also ordered permanence. Indra is invoked as the power that can compel the human energies to fight ignorance and then to inhabit securely the attained light—victory made stable in life.
Balance ‘warrior mode’ and ‘dwelling mode’: engage obstacles, then establish calm order.
anāhata (harmonizing governance after conflict)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 while repeating mentally: ‘yodhayā… kṣayayā…’ to integrate force and peace.
Integrated leadership—courage with composure.
After chanting, write two lists: (1) one battle to fight today (clear action), (2) one stability to build (routine, boundary, or rest).
Likely triṣṭubh accenting; exact svara not determinable without marked text.
Stress ‘एको’ and ‘राजा’ with regal firmness; articulate the contrast clearly at ‘योधया च क्षयया च’.
: retroflex ṣ, : ‘vṛṣ-ṇye-bhiḥ’ with palatal ‘nye’, : final ‘t’ crisp, : ‘kṣa-ya-yā’ with conjunct kṣ
Commanding but even; let the final clause sound like a settled decree.
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